TIRE AND DETECTION-ALARM MECHANISM THEREOF

• US 20080135147A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chen, Yun-Yen
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/154.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/243 Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10009 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10027 with wear indicating feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube

Abstract

A detection-alarm mechanism is provided. The detection-alarm mechanism for a tire includes a sensor, an electronic processing unit, a post-processing unit and a display unit. The sensor includes a substrate disposed in the tire and at least one photoelectronic element fixed to the substrate. If the tire is cracked, light passes through the cracks and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals. The electronic processing unit receives signals from the photoelectronic elements to generate wear information. The post-processing unit is disposed in a vehicle on which the tire is installed and receives wear information from the electronic processing unit. The display unit is disposed in the vehicle for presenting the wear information.

Claims

1. A tire, comprising

a main body comprising a plurality of ply layers and a plurality of rubber layers stacked in alternating order to form a main surface contacting the ground and two lateral surfaces;

a wheel supporting the main body;

a tap disposed on the wheel for charging air into a space formed by the wheel and the main body; and

a sensor comprising a substrate disposed on the ply layers and at least one photoelectronic element fixed to the substrate, wherein when the rubber layers are cracked, light passes through the cracks and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals.

2. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is disposed around the main body.

3. The tire as claimed in claim 2, wherein the photoelectronic element is at least disposed on the lateral surfaces.

4. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a detection circuit to which the photoelectronic element is connected.

5. The tire as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectronic elements parallel connected and serial connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

6. The tire as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectronic elements, and each photoelectronic element is connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

7. The tire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a multiplexer receiving signals from the photoelectronic elements.

8. The tire as claimed in claim 4, wherein the photoelectronic element is a photoresistor, a photoelectronic conductor, a photo diode, a phototransistor, a photocoupler, or a CMOS element.

9. The tire as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electronic processing unit comprising:

a power supply circuit providing power;

a signal conversion circuit converting signals from the photoelectronic element into control signals;

a wear estimation and calibration circuit comparing the control signals with a standard value to generate wear information;

a memory storing the wear information;

a wireless communication circuit transmitting the wear information or receiving other signals.

10. The tire as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electronic processor unit is disposed on the wheel.

11. The tire as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electronic processing unit is disposed on the tap.

21. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photoelectronic element is a photoresistor, a photoelectronic conductor, a photo diode, a phototransistor, a photocoupler, or a CMOS element.

12. A detection-alarm mechanism for a tire comprising:

a sensor comprising a substrate disposed in the wheel and at least one photoelectronic element fixed to the substrate, wherein when the tire is cracked, light passes through the cracks and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals;

an electronic processing unit receiving signals from the photoelectronic elements to generate wear information;

a post-processing unit disposed in a vehicle on which the tire is installed and receiving the wear information from the electronic processing unit; and

a display unit disposed in the vehicle presenting the wear information.

13. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electronic processing unit is disposed on a wheel of the tire.

14. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electronic processing unit is disposed on a tap of the tire.

15. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electronic processing unit comprises:

a power supply circuit providing power;

a signal conversion circuit converting signals from the photoelectronic element into control signals;

a wear estimation and calibration circuit comparing the control signals with a standard value to generate wear information;

a memory storing the wear information;

a wireless communication circuit transmitting the wear information or receiving other signals.

16. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 15, wherein the power supply is disposed in the vehicle and the power supply circuit is charged with electromagnetic energy.

17. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises a detection circuit to which the photoelectronic element is connected.

18. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectronic elements parallel connected and serial connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

19. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectronic elements, and each photoelectronic element is connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

20. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 19, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a multiplexer connected to the electronic processing unit and receiving signals from the photoelectronic elements.